Win XP Product Code

My pals PC needs re-formating but he has either lost is Win XP disk or was not supplied one in the first place. He has a Packard Bell laptop from PC world so he may have been given a sys.restore disk. The laptop has a Win XP Home product code stuck to it. Can I use MY XP Home disk to reformat and then use his Prod. Code?

Did he get a restore floppy as the restore may be on a seperate partion on the harddrive and the floppy will get you to it.There is a way of making a disk from this partion but I have formatted recently and forgot to save favourites maybe someone else can help here.

they have a driver download section, click here so install xp with your disc, download drivers, and install drivers, or you may even be able to get them if you can connect to internet and use winupdate?

pc world also sell these restore discs but they can be up to £50 but as cheap as £5

the restore discs can be created (once only from the pb folder in the program files folder - start - program files - pb) we have a pb desktop and did this fine - as long as u have a cdr drive!its to do with the licencing rules for oem manufacturers (the bigger ones not the small independent).

Thanks RSturbo for the info and that may well save me some time restoring the drivers. However, I am still a bit unsure as to whether I can use MY Win XP Home disk with his Prod. Code. There appears to be some conflict of opinion.Sorry Pooke100, but what is HDD tattooing?

Your Windows XP Home disk will not work with another product code if that what you are cofused about. You will have to use your product code for installation but be aware of product activation which you might have done on your own computer. I think Microsoft would like you to uninstall it from your computer first.

Your best bit is to use the Restore disk(s) supplied by the venders and select distructive option to reformat(if that what you want) and install OS to-gether with supplied drivers.

As long as you have a valid product key, then using your disc will work. The actual disc means nothing. When you insert your original windows disc it should hopefully give you the option of deleting the partion that PB would have put on it.Remember to back up your data thoufh just incase you encounter any problems.